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Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred is currently reviewing a petition that could lead to the posthumous removal of Pete Rose from Major League Baseball’s ineligible list, as reported by CBS News. Rose, who holds the record for the most career hits in MLB history, was banned from the league and the Hall of Fame due to involvement in sports gambling.
The petition for Rose’s reinstatement was filed by Jeffrey Lenkov, a Southern California attorney who represented Rose prior to his passing in September at the age of 83. ESPN first reported on this development, highlighting that Lenkov met with Rose’s daughter, Fawn, Manfred, and MLB executive Pat Courtney on December 17 as part of the consultation process. The formal petition was submitted on January 8.
Lenkov emphasized that the objective behind the petition is to clear Rose’s name from the ineligible list, which would facilitate the family’s efforts to seek his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame—a long-held aspiration of Rose’s. He characterized Manfred as cordial and engaged during their discussions.
In related news, former President Donald Trump announced via Truth Social that he intends to grant a “complete PARDON of Pete Rose,” acknowledging that while Rose should not have engaged in gambling within baseball, he only bet on his own team’s success. Trump suggested that he would finalize this pardon in the upcoming weeks.
Rose’s achievements in baseball are noteworthy: he is a 17-time All-Star and boasts a career total of 4,256 hits, along with records for the most games played (3,562) and most plate appearances (15,890). His accolades include being named the National League MVP in 1973 and contributing to three World Series championship teams.
The circumstances surrounding Rose’s ban stem from findings by attorney John M. Dowd, who led an investigation indicating that Rose placed numerous bets on the Cincinnati Reds while both playing for and managing the team from 1985 to 1987. As a result, Rose agreed to a permanent ban in 1989.
According to rules established by the Hall of Fame’s board in 1991, individuals on the permanently ineligible list are ineligible for election to the Hall. Rose had previously sought reinstatement in 1997 and even met with Commissioner Bud Selig in 2002; however, no decision was reached. In 2015, Manfred also denied Rose’s request for reinstatement.
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